Henry d



(No Model) H. D. GOCKBURN.

TAILPIEGE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. No. 583,168. Patented May 25, 1897.

IN VENTOH UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

HENRY D. OOOKBURN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO WVULSOHNER &SON, OF SAME PLACE.

TAILPIECE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,168, dated May 25,1897.

Application filed August 81, 1896. Serial No. 604,391. (No model.)

To (all whom'it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY D. COCKBURN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tailpieces forStringed Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my said invention is to provide a strong, inexpensive, andeasily applied tailpiece for stringed musical instruments, such asguitars. Said invention will be first fully described, and the novel features thereof then pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part thereofand on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure1 is a perspective view of a guitar provided with a tailpiece embodyingmy said invention; Fig. 2,21 top or plan View of such a tailpieceseparate; and Fig. 3, a detail sectional view through the tailpiece andimmediately adjacent parts, thus clearly showing its relation to suchother parts and the method of its use.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the body of theinstrument; B, the bridge; O, my improved tailpiece, andD the strings ofthe instrument. All these parts except the tailpiece O are or may be ofany usual or desired construction, and are shown merely to illustratethe relation which said tailpiece bears in use to said other parts,which, as they are not of my present inven tion, will not be furtherdescribed herein, except incidentally in describing said invention.

The tailpiece O is formed of sheet metal, and its lower end O is bentdown and is attached to the lower end of the instrument by suitablescrews, nails, or rivets 0. Its body passes from the corner where it isbent along a short distance parallel to and in contact with the uppersurface of the instrument, but after continuing in this direction for ashort distance, as to point 1, bends upwardly slightly, so that fromsaid point to the front end thereof it is out of contact with thesurface of the instrument. At its extreme front end it is bent over toform a tube, and the bent-over portion contains a series of slits,

which terminate in openings 0, through which the knots d on the ends ofthe strings may pass. This is an extremely convenient device for thepurpose, as it is manifest that the strings may be attached by merelyputting them down through the slits and then pulling them endwise, whichwill draw the knots in through the holes to the interior of the tubeformed by the drawn-over portion, so that the knots are completelyconcealed when in place, while the string can be removed and reattachedinstantly without any untying or unwinding of the string or knot. IVhenin place, the strings are obviously securely held by the knots. Thetailpiece being thin and flexible the pull isa substantially straightone from the point 1 over the bridge 13 to where the strings arefastened at the upper end of the instrument. Not only is the pullstraight, but the string is also straight, and starts high up out ofcontact with the body of the instrument, where it will produce the besteffect.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with the body, strings and bridge of a stringed musicalinstrument, of the tailpiece 0 having an attaching end 0 which extendsdown over the lower end of the instrument, and a body which aftercontinuing in contact with the surface of the instrument for a shortdistance rises out of 0011- tact therewith and continues in asubstantially straight line toward the bearing-point of the bridge, anda forward end formed into a roll or tube with slits through which thestrings may pass and holes through which the knots on the strings maypass to the interior thereof from whence the strings run directly to theopposite end of the instrument, said tailpiece as a whole being formedof flexible sheet metal, all substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, atIndianapolis, Indiana, this 17th day of August, A. D. 1896.

HENRY D. COCKBURN. [L. s]

\Vitnesses:

JAMES A. \VALSH, C. C. SroNEE.

